Stranger Things season 5's final episode confirmed to be feature-length, but is shorter than the season 4 finale

Noah Schnapp in Stranger Things season 5 — (Image credit: Netflix)

After months of speculation and fan mock-ups on social media, the Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have confirmed the runtime for the season 5 finale.

As revealed partway through a bumper Variety feature on the end of the Netflix series, the Stranger Things season 5 is currently at "around two hours" according to Matt Duffer though, of course, that could fluctuate over the coming weeks. That pales in comparison to season 4's two hours and 22 minutes.

Don't expect any more episodes to approach the 90-minute mark, however. Despite plenty of rumors and misinformation suggesting fans would be settling in for multiple two-hour episodes and a three-hour finale this holiday season, Matt Duffer debunked those "inaccurate" claims in a separate interview with Variety – and confirmed only episodes four and eight would be feature-length.

In case you've been living under a rock – or in the Upside Down – recently, you may have missed that Stranger Things season 5 will be split into three volumes. The first batch, consisting of four episodes, arrives on November 26.

From there, it's an excruciating month-long wait until volume 2's three episodes on December 25. Then, the finale premieres on Netflix on December 31 – ensuring a hectic, possibly soul-crushing 2026 for all as Stranger Things rings in the New Year.